#AAAsAtWork for Older Adults: A Snapshot of Area Agency on Aging Responses to COVID-19

USAging's (formerly n4a, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging) #AAAsAtWork for Older Adults: A Snapshot of Area Agency on Aging Responses to COVID-19 details how our AAA members have risen to the challenge of COVID-19, meeting it with leadership, swift action, flexibility and more—and with the needs of older adults and caregivers they serve at the very forefront.

The report highlights what our members told us they did to expand, adapt and revamp their services and supports to serve older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers early on during the COVID-19 pandemic includes stories of frontline experiences from the field and weaves together the common challenges, trends and creative solutions the Aging Network has faced as it has addressed this national public health crisis. 

Nearly all (93 percent) of AAAs told us that they were serving more—often many more—older adults than before COVID-19, while more than two-thirds (69 percent) saw an increased need for their services among existing clients as well. To address this increased need, AAAs have had to pivot programs, adapt service delivery, deploy staff and volunteers in new ways, and stand-up wholly new efforts in a very short period of time. Although there was little time in the beginning to compare notes with peers, AAAs across the country did share many common solutions, including expanding home-delivered meals, using grab-and-go grocery and meal sites, ramping up telephone reassurance and wellness check efforts, and ensuring that their older adult clients had what they needed to stay safe at home. Now assisted by emergency funding from Congress, AAAs and their state and community partners have continued to meet the escalated level of need in their communities but will require additional resources and guidance over time.

For more information, see our press release and read #AAAsAtWork. Have questions about the report? Let us know by sending an email to membership@usaging.org.